Singer, Zwai Bala and his brother were at Strand Magistrates’ Court yesterday after laying charges against a man who racially attacked them in Gordon’s Bay.
The incident at a restaurant at Harbour Island on 6 January started after Zwai’s brother, Lwando, started taking pictures of the scenery.
A group of white men then allegedly attacked him, stripping him of his Masai blanket and calling him the K-word.
One of the men, who cannot be named as yet, was arrested and made his first appearance at the Strand Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, Lwando says he got a moerse skrik.
“I was sitting at the pier trying to take pictures of the scenery, I heard people talking from the balcony that I was sitting under.
“I heard racial slurs then I looked up and a female voice said there’s a ‘K-word’ looking at us. That’s when a male voice said I feel like beating a ‘K-word’ today.
“I looked up and they threatened to come down and beat me up. I said nothing and just looked at them, that's when a group of males came charging down the stairs.
“I ran because I felt my life was being threatened.”
At the time, Zwai, a former member of kwaito group TKZee, was sitting inside the restaurant with his girlfriend and a friend.
Zwai explains: “We had just had dinner and paid the bill but sat at our table. I asked where Lwando was and then he came back and said he was being harassed and attacked by racists.
“He said they took his Masai blanket. Soon after that, white men followed him and a shorter one came and he was furious and accused Lwando of filming them. I asked why they attacked him for filming.
The reality TV star explained that while trying to find out what happened, things turned chaotic.
He adds: “We were trying to understand what happened, the group of men were at our table physically and verbally assaulting everyone there, they continued calling us by derogatory words such as p**s and K-words, threatening to hit everyone in our group.
“They pushed us around and insisted on seeing my brother’s phone to prove that he was not taking pictures of them as they had initially accused him of. It could have turned into something ugly, and, of course, their arrogance.”
Zwai says restaurant staff then removed them, adding: “The attacker is the family friend of the establishment’s owner. I think that Strand and Gordon’s Bay are highly racist... when they see black people, they see things that can be beaten down, that absolutely means nothing.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, confirmed that a 45-year-old man was arrested and was charged with intimidation and assault.
During court proceedings, the suspect’s lawyer opposed an application by the media to photograph and name him. The case was postponed to 7 February where the Magistrate is expected to make a ruling.
The brothers, who were supported by the EFF, vowed to see the case through and make sure a point is made.
Zwai says: “We are going to look into going after the establishment as the incident happened there.”